Faced with Danzo's challenge, the Third pondered, "…I'll visit him at home tonight. As long as I talk to him sincerely—"
But Danzo cut him off with a cold laugh, "Heh, Hiruzen, when did you become so naive? Do you really think talking will help now? The truth is right in front of him. You can't play the loving grandfather anymore."
The Third frowned, displeased with Danzo's attitude. "I truly care for Naruto…"
But Danzo interrupted again. "No need for that—Anbu are gone, it's just us now, no need to keep up appearances."
Danzo walked up to the desk, leaning over Hiruzen. "I have a way to make Naruto forever loyal to Konoha."
"Let him join Root? No, we've already discussed this."
The Third shook his head.
"No, I'll let him live in the light, inherit our Will of Fire, and be absolutely loyal to Konoha."
Danzo whispered, "If you let me be Hokage, I can win Naruto back."
…
As this power struggle played out in the Hokage's office, under the rising moon, Gusion arrived at the appointed location.
Behind the Uchiha clan's compound, before an ancient shrine, the bright red torii gate stood silent.
The wind swept through the night. As the clouds parted, moonlight shone on the figure atop the torii.
A crouching youth, his pale face holding a trace of hidden strength, black hair fluttering in the wind, adding a touch of melancholy.
He wore a dark blue ninja outfit, its hem swaying, his solemn presence blending into the night.
When he saw Gusion, the figure flipped down and landed silently, standing up and bowing respectfully. "You're here, Gusion-senpai."
"Don't worry, no one followed me."
Gusion saw Itachi's Sharingan scanning the area and spoke.
Itachi carefully led Gusion into the empty shrine. "Gusion-senpai, the situation is bad. Because of the masked man's attack on Kakashi-senpai, the village and the Uchiha are at odds again."
"I already know the general situation. As long as there's no fighting in the next two days, Konoha will soon give up targeting the Uchiha."
Gusion waved his hand. "Three days from now, the Konoha destruction plan will begin."
"So soon? Gusion-senpai, have you gathered enough forces?"
Itachi warned, "Kirigakure isn't like Konoha."
Gusion understood. "I'm not alone. There will be a ninja army with me. Just get ready to perform well."
"Can you disclose the lineup? So I can direct my clansmen to the right battlefield."
Itachi asked. Due to communication restrictions, he still didn't know the specifics of the plan.
"Of course. I've joined forces with Orochimaru of the Sound Village. He'll attack Konoha with me—his target is the Third Hokage, so let him fight the Third and his disciples. Besides that, watch out for the Fourth Mizukage and Kisame, summoned by Orochimaru's forbidden jutsu, as well as myself…"
He then detailed the forces to Itachi, making it clear he himself would pressure Konoha directly, leaving the side battles to the Uchiha.
Of course, plans always change, so he told Itachi to adapt as needed.
After they finished discussing, Itachi expressed his concern, "The masked man really is one of the Uchiha. Absolutely not a case like Kakashi—he's awakened the Mangekyo, which only our clan's bloodline can achieve."
He brought Gusion to the clan's stone tablet. "In a sense, Konoha isn't wrong—an Uchiha really did attack Kakashi. But I'm sure he's not someone living in the clan now."
"Itachi, he told you to look at the stone tablet, right? Did you?"
Gusion asked.
Itachi shook his head. "I didn't. It has nothing to do with our current situation."
"You have a lot of self-control. If it were me, I'd be curious. But there's no harm in looking—true or not, if nothing on it has come to pass, it means it's unreliable."
Gusion advised, just in case the Uchiha found something after he left, causing trouble.
Itachi considered it. "Gusion-senpai, you're right. I'll take a look."
He activated his Mangekyo, reading the tablet aloud to Gusion as he went.
Afterward, Itachi was moved. "Sharingan evolution? Rinnegan? Six Paths' power? Ten-Tails jinchuriki…"
He frowned. "The tablet records some shocking things. I've verified some of the Sharingan evolution, so that's real. But the rest is uncertain—especially the Infinite Tsukuyomi part. It feels off."
"This tablet's been around so long, who's to say it wasn't altered? If Infinite Tsukuyomi really brought peace, why didn't the Sage of Six Paths do it? He was the strongest, he could've done it. So I doubt that part."
Gusion said, "Besides, a fake world isn't really living, is it?"
Itachi nodded. "That makes sense. What about the rest? How much is true?"
"That masked man claims to be Uchiha Madara?"
Gusion mused.
'Obito sure knows how to play a role.'
"He can use Mangekyo freely, unlike me—his stamina seems endless. Maybe he has the Eternal Mangekyo, which fits."
Itachi knew the clan's history: after transplanting his brother's eyes, Madara gained eternal eyesight.
"Or, as the tablet says, he may have obtained Yin-Yang Release and thus permanent sight, just not evolved to Rinnegan."
Gusion said.
The tablet, if checked personally, did contain a lot.
Especially the Sharingan's evolutionary stages.
"Hmm… I don't think he's really Madara. His fighting style is different. And if he were Madara, he wouldn't have fallen for my Tsukuyomi, since he should be a genjutsu master."
Itachi analyzed, "I've reviewed the list of missing or presumed-dead Uchiha since the war and focused on a few candidates. I think he's likely someone who went missing during the Third War."
"Speaking of Uchiha in the war, I remember Minato's disciple…"
Gusion smiled. "What was his name? Uchiha Obito?"
"Obito?"
Itachi froze, recalling that as a child, he'd met him. Obito was on the death list—one of those whose body was never found.
"No way… I remember now, Obito was the dead last at the academy. How could he awaken Mangekyo and overwhelm me?"
Itachi dismissed it internally.
"Hey, don't underestimate the dead last—especially Konoha's dead last."
Gusion teased, "And if you think about it, the Hokage's side did give Uchiha a chance. Obito was under Minato, but he never amounted to anything."
Itachi pondered, but didn't see this as a real chance for the clan.
There were so many Uchiha geniuses. Why not let Shisui join Minato's team? Instead, they sent Obito—because the Hokage's side thought he wouldn't get anywhere. If it had been Shisui, he might have outshone Kakashi and become the next Hokage candidate after the Fourth died.
"Wait…"
Itachi suddenly realized something. He looked at Gusion, "Gusion-senpai… I remember, Kakashi's Sharingan… was given by Obito!?"
The masked man attacked Kakashi and took back the Sharingan—why?
Just to stir up conflict between Hokage and Uchiha?
Or…?
Gusion could see Itachi was finally on the right track. "Sharingan works best as a pair—Obito might be the masked man. He didn't die, and now he's back."
"But that can't be…"
Even the unflappable Itachi was shaken. "Obito was the dead last. How could he awaken Mangekyo? And he loved the village and his teacher—why would he harm them and his own clan?"
His mind raced—could the masked man be the one who attacked Konoha years ago, unleashing the Nine-Tails and killing the Fourth and his wife?
But there were so many contradictions. From the timing of Obito's disappearance to the motive for taking Kakashi's eye, it seemed likely. Yet, from his actions, it seemed impossible.
"Itachi, you think it's not Obito, because you can't imagine him betraying his sensei, village, and clan, right?"
Gusion observed. Honestly, with normal logic, you'd never suspect Obito.
But Obito wasn't normal—so normal logic wouldn't reveal the truth.
"Gusion-senpai, let's consider other possibilities. Obito would never do this."
Itachi concluded.
"Let's say—under certain circumstances, all the logic fits."
Gusion's tone was subtle. "That is… Obito is an absolute scumbag."
Itachi felt a little uncomfortable. After all, Obito was a war hero of the clan, who'd served the village. He didn't want to believe it.
But reason told him to consider it. Gusion was always right—he'd helped save the Uchiha.
He tried to imagine Obito as a scumbag, and suddenly, everything made sense…
"So… Gusion-senpai, even if we know who he is, does it actually help? Should I contact him?"
Itachi pushed away his chaotic feelings and got down to business.
"Does it help? A lot! At least, knowing he's a dead last and not the legendary Madara, you'll feel a lot less pressure, right?"
Gusion laughed. "I have a way to test if it's really Obito. Itachi, before we meet him, do this…"
After hearing Gusion's plan, Itachi hesitated. "Gusion-senpai, will this really work? He has Sharingan, and I have no interest in cross-dressing."
He only felt that this plan was truly strange—Gusion wanted him to seduce the masked man by transforming into Rin.